Contrast Pocket Tissue Cover Sewing Instructions

Guest Author - Tamara Bostwick

Sewing Instructions:

1) Place fabrics right sides together and match up shorter edges (6 1/4 inches) on both ends and pin. The fabrics are not the same length so there will be a bump of loose fabric in the middle, like the example shown to the left.
2) Sew across each end with a 1/4 inch seam, being sure to not catch the excess fabric in the seam.

3) Press seams flat and trim them down slightly, taking off about 1/16 inch (this is where the rotary cutter and ruler comes in handy). Turn fabric right side out and press, rolling the lining fabric over the edge so that the piece lies flat. The wrapped edges will form the opening of the pocket tissue cover.

4) Fold fabric in half to find the middle and mark with a pin.
With the lining facing up, fold one of the wrapped edges over so that the contrasting strip is centered over the middle. Repeat for the other side. The contrast strips should overlap each other at the middle. Pin each end in place.

5) Sew across each end with a scant 1/4 inch seam (align the fabric edge slightly inside of your 1/4 inch marking to create a "small" 1/4 inch seam), backstitch at both ends to secure the seams. Using scissors or rotary cutter, trim the seam closely to remove any fraying threads (if any threads are sticking out, they can poke through the seam when you finish the French seam).

6) Turn the tissue cover wrong (lining) side out, and fold the ends over the seams you have just sewn to enclose them and sew another 1/4 inch seam across the end to complete the French seam. Make sure the the edges are overlapping correctly. As you are sewing across the area where the edges overlap, reinforce the area by reverse stitching back across the junction and then continue forward again. I guess I forgot to take a photo of this step. Imagine a stitched line across both ends over there on the left.

This final step is optional, but I think it really improves the look of the finished pocket tissue covers. By doing this, you will be boxing the corners so that the cover is rectangular and more closely follows the shape of the pre-packaged tissue.
This part is kind of hard to explain, but if you have ever done origami, it will be a piece of cake. You are going to pinch each corner in so that it lays over the end seam and sew across the corner. To make this easier, while the tissue cover is stil lining side out, press the sides of the cover flat for the first inch at each corner to make a crease (this crease will help you line up the corner when you fold it so that your seam is straight). In the photo there, I have marked the crease with a light gray line so you can see where it should line up. To do this, pull the front and back of the cover apart gently while pressing down on the crease until it meets the end seam underneath. Make sure the fabric is pulled all the way out on each side so that the point looks even. Fold the end of the seam down toward the bottom of the tissue cover. Pin in place. Repeat for all four corners.

Place a pinned corner underneath your sewing machine presser foot so that the top of point is 3/8 inch away from the needle and carefully pull out the pin before you start sewing (it makes a lump that can cause the seam to be crooked, so you always want to pull that pin out first). Sew across the corner with a 3/8 inch seam, backstitching at the beginning and end. Repeat for the remaining corners.

Turn pocket tissue holder right side out and insert a package of tissues. Doesn't it look nice?